In the second installment of Matthew Blackford's Vintage Christianity Column, he points to the emerging church within the LCMS and their need to have "ownership in the adventure, not just a church building."

Continue to explore the concept of the emerging church from a Lutheran view. This month, encounter what success "means" for the church and where we may need to redefine our understanding of "the three Bs".

The Emerging Church loves mystery. Who doesn't, right? Well, they really love mystery! They love the excitement of the unknown; the thrill of finding the hidden treasure. They love the great find of the valuable pearl; and the enormous growth of the tiny mustard seed. They love going where no one else is going to find God’s kingdom. The Emerging Church loves to live out the simple mystery of Jesus’ parables.

Social networking utilities present youth workers with a new media by which they can build connections with students. Consider the possibilities and the potential pitfalls of going digital with your youth.

Technology has invaded every aspect of our lives and it's changing the way we connect with one another. Technology calls for a balanced approach. Ignoring new technologies that are available for ministry is a mistake. Equally obvious is that giving up face-to-face time with youth is a mistake. To continue reaching this generation of students, we must leverage this technology into effective ministry. Consider four tips to help you along the way.

While the quality of text communication is debatable, it is almost guaranteed that your message will be read quickly. Yes, these short bursts of text that are slowly taking all of the vowels out of the English language can actually be useful.

Whether the musician is EMINEM, tobyMac, or Johann Sebastian Bach, teens listen to find expressions of themselves in the music. They are looking for friends, and they need tools to help them discern the underlying message the artist is trying to convey.